Who will turn your AI investment into something that works every day?
Forward Deployed Engineer job postings in India rose nearly 800% year-on-year. What that means for GCCs building AI capability in-house.
~800%
YoY rise in FDE job postings
India's GCCs are increasingly building that expertise in-house.
The Economic Times reports that Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) job postings in India surged nearly 800% year-on-year between April 2025 and April 2026, according to TeamLease Digital.
These engineers work close to business teams to put AI into use. The demand is especially strong for experienced talent: ANSR says 60% of active FDE roles seek professionals with 5–8 years of experience.
UnearthInsight estimates that the top 50 mature GCCs could bring $200–300 million worth of FDE-style consulting work in-house. That is the estimated value of work, rather than confirmed savings.
Our takeaway
Building internal AI capability requires engineers who understand the business problem and can work with the teams responsible for delivery. Give them access to the right data, clear ownership and a measurable outcome.
The role itself is still evolving, with similar work appearing under different job titles. Organisations should assess what candidates can deliver, rather than relying on the FDE label alone.
Which AI capability would your organisation build in-house first?
Source: Tanya Pandey, The Economic Times.
- Talent
- GCC
- Enterprise AI